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American Experiences and Constitutional Change - Coggle Diagram
American Experiences and Constitutional Change
POLITICS
IDEOLOGY
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Declaration of Independence
Both the Declaration and the Constitution embody different ranges of political ideologies such as natural rights, federalism, and individual liberty.
"Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good Use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it." John Adams
Abigail and John Adams obviously loved each other very much but their love for liberty and democracy was almost just as strong
CONSTITUTIONALISM
"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." Fifth Amendment of the Constitution
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Constitution
Constitutionalism is a philosophy around the idea of having a written document pertaining the regulations for a country.
The philosophy of constitutionalism limits the amount of government power, protects individual rights and liberties, and prevents abuse of power.
"Great necessities call out great virtues." Abigail Adams
"Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government? Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the right of man? There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power..." - Henry Thoreau
This quote is talking about the importance of democracy and the rights of the people living in the United States. The idea of democracy has been a struggle in our country for a long time because of the separation of powers between the people and the federal government.
The goal of starting a democracy was to give rights to the people and not force government policies on everyone if they were not right. We still struggle with democracy today especially with minority groups as they have they rights taken away more than others.
RELIGION
COMMUNITY
"If one looked before one there was nothing but Indians, and behind one, nothing but Indians, and so on either hand, I myself in the midst, and no Christian soul near me, and yet how hath the Lord preserved me in safety?"
"The Sovereignty and Goodness of God", Mary Rowlandson
In "The Sovereignty and Goodness of God", Mary Rowlandson mentions how she feels very alone on her journey and how there is nobody around that believes in God as she does.
"The problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth, that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and poor in harmonious relationship. The conditions of human life have not only been changed, but revolutionized, within the past few hundred years. In former days there was little difference between the dwelling, dress, food, and environment of the chief and those of his retainers." -"The Gospel of Wealth" by Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie's take on society is different from others and this quote expresses how social status is structured around the idea of wealth and not as much as the work it takes to achieve that success. This also ties in with the idea of prosperity.
" Nothing is now better understood than that the rescue of the children is the key to the problem of city poverty, as presented for our solution to-day; that character may be formed where to reform it would be a hopeless task" - Jacob Riis
Jacob Riis talks a lot about child development and how it is important that we take care of underprivileged children. Some people are born with more advantages in society than others and those other people have to work harder to achieve what they want. Riis is arguing that we need to be more open in helping those in need instead of just ourselves, especiallty children.
PURITANISM
“For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us."
-John Winthrop
Christianity and Puritanism had similar concepts in the sense of their beliefs and feelings toward God. I think the community both of these religions have is so crucial to the expansion of it and gives the followers a reason to live.
Religion is something many people turn to in times of need or distress and it is still extremely important to many people today. In Rowlandson's narrative she mentions how they have no choice but to accept God's will and try and accept it. This is still a common phrase used in society today.
"You have power over my body but the Lord Jesus hath power over my body and soul, and assure yourselves thus much, you do as much as in you lies to put the Lord Jesus Christ from you, and if you go on in this course you begin you will I bring a curse upon you and your posterity, and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. . . ."
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was banished because she was accused of spreading false beliefs about the Bible. She stood up for religious freedom and was a feminist in her time.
Anne Hutchinson's opinions on religion can be associated with opinions in religion today; the separation of church and state, feminism, abortion laws, etc. Although Anne was a religious person she may have had different feelings on how the Bible should be interpreted and stood up for those even though there was patriarchy at the time.
ABOLITION
SLAVERY
"I may be deemed superstitious, and even egotistical, in regarding this event as a special interposition of divine Providence in my favor. But I should be false to the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence." Frederick Douglass
The fight against slavery was one that lasted hundreds of years. Slaves sometimes fought against their abuse but as Douglass said in his narrative it mostly just ended with them getting killed.
AFRICAN AMERICAN RESISTANCE
Frederick Douglass is one of the best definitions of what a "self-made man is"
"Thee, first in peace and honors - we demand / The grace and glory of thy martial band." Phillis Wheatley
African American resistance and rebellion is still something we see today in society because of racial injustice and police brutality.
Abolition refers to the movement to end slavery
"The wretched refuse of your teaming shore./Send these, the homeless, tempest-most to me/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" -Lazarus "The New Colossus"
I chose to put this quote into my abolition branch because I think it reflects how immigrants who are trying to come to the United States can struggle with trying to overcome the social barriers they may face and how we as Americans can try and help them start a new life for themselves and their families.
This poem represents the meaning of the American Dream and how the Statue of Liberty's inscription of freedom and liberty should inspire others to help.
"John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him." -"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Abolition is commonly associated with slavery but the real definition of it it so eradicate a system or practice in society. Abolition can be referred to in the case of women and how much they struggled with their rights in our history.
This quote is explaining the struggles women went through at this time and how their husbands didn't understand because they thought they were giving them everything they wanted. Women want to have rights too and this story provides excellent analogies of what women go through.
SUCCESS
INTELLECTUALISM
The Enlightenment was a period of time where people advocated for democracy, political and social structures, and the emphasis on individual liberty and freedom.
"Proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side, Thy every action let the Goddess guide. A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine, with gold unfading, Washington! Be thine." Phillis Wheatley, "His Excellency, General Washington"
INDEPENDENCE
"-That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
Declaration of Independence
"Should an independency be brought about by the first of those means, we have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest, purest constitution on the face of the earth." Thomas Paine "Common Sense"
“The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,/Went evening her and me—/Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea)/That wind came out of the cloud by night,/Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.”
This poem by Edgar Allan Poe demonstrates romantic views because of the love story about losing someone he cared for. Edgar Allan Poe was very traditional and seemed to like the old ways of things when there was a king ruling instead of having a democracy.
Poe leaned towards aristocracy and did not like when the people were too powerful. Independence was something that everyone fought for and it is what gave us our free country today but there are some people who believe that the people should not have as many rights as the government.
Success can be defined in many different ways. Education, individuality, and intellectualism are some examples of success.
"When a man so far confuses ends and means as to think that fox-hunting, or polo, or foot-ball, or whatever else the sport may be, is to be itself taken as the end, instead of as the mere means of preparation to do work that counts when the time arises, when the occasion calls—why, that manhad better abandon sport altogether" (Roosevelt).
Although we live in a different time now, Roosevelt discusses the importance of a boy's upbringing and how the way he is raised and acts will allow for him to fit into the sterotype of patriarchy.
The patriarchy was such a huge topic of discussion in this period of time because of the roles men had to fulfill because they were expected to provide for their families.
AMBITION
"But he had not energy enough to succeed, as has already been stated, and I am afraid the poor boy had met with many hardships, and suffered more than once from cold and hunger." (Ragged Dick, Chapter 2)
PROSPERITY
One of the main components of the American Dream is to be financially stable. Prosperity is something that plays a key role in the American Dream because it entails good fortune, good social status, and being financially stable.
Having ambition is an admirable trait to have because int is working hard for something and putting in the effort to achieve your dreams. The stories of "Ragged Dick" portray ambition because of the lengths that the characters go to provide for themselves or other people in their lives.
SELF-MADE MAN
"who cowered in unshaven rooms in underwear, burning their money in wastebaskets and listening to the Terror through the wall" - "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg
The Beat Generation was a movement that began with a group of writers and artists who rejected mainstream American values and wanted to find new ways of expressing their artistic talents.
This quote specifically captures the rebellion against mainstream values when it talks about "burning their money in wastebaskets" which seems to be rejecting the capitalism enforced on the Americans and not caring about material possessions which was a common thing at this time.
"For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house. They may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change." - Audre Lorde
The "master's tools" are the ideologies that have been reinforced by the authoritative figures to control their dominance.
How has Lorde's essay contributed to contemporary feminism?
